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Help during and after current wildfires

Safety and steps to recovery

During and after a wildfire, we want to help ensure your safety. We will also prioritize restoring service in wildfire zones as soon as it is safely possible. And for those who lose their home or business to a wildfire, we're here to help in the rebuilding process. This information is for customers impacted by the Carr, Mendocino Complex or Ferguson fires.

Safety upon returning home

Once First Responders allow you to return home, find out what you should do about electric safety, gas safety and gas restoration.

Electric and gas safety tips

Electric Safety Tips

Check for damaged household electrical wiring and turn off the power at the main electric switch if you suspect any damage and consult with an electrician.

Unplug or turn off all electric appliances to avoid overloading circuits and fire hazards when power is restored. Simply leave a single lamp on to alert you when power returns. Turn your appliances back on one at a time when conditions return to normal.

If you see downed power lines near your home, treat them as if they are "live" or energized. Keep yourself and others away from them. Call 1-800-743-5000, then notify PG&E at 911.

Use only battery-operated flashlights to provide light during outages.

Standard wax candles are not recommended. LED candles are a safe alternative.

Customers with generators should make sure they are properly installed by a licensed electrician. Improperly installed generators pose a significant danger to our crews, and to you and your family.

Be prepared and stay safe. Nothing is more important than the safety of the public, first responders and our employees. We encourage you to stay connected with your county Offices of Emergency Services and follow the directions of your local First Responders. If you are asked to evacuate, shut off your gas and electricity to prevent any further damage.

Gas Safety Tips

If you or someone else shut off the gas during the evacuation, DO NOT turn it back on. Contact PG&E or a qualified professional to perform a safety inspection before the gas service is restored and the gas appliance pilots are re-lit.

If you smell the distinctive "rotten egg" odor of natural gas in or around your home or business you should immediately call 911 and then PG&E at 1-800-743-5000.

Gas Restoration

In order to restore gas service, gas crews must conduct a thorough assessment of damaged infrastructure and on-site inspections at each customer home and business. This process must occur before service can be restored and relighting conducted. PG&E will bring in additional crews to restore gas service.

It is helpful if customers are available to allow PG&E crews access to their properties in order to inspect equipment and restore service.

If contact is not made during our initial door to door effort to relight pilot lights, we will leave a contact card so that customers may call us. Customers returning to their homes who wish to have service restored should call 1-800-743-5000.

NOTE: PG&E employees always carry their identification and are always willing to show it to you. Customers should always ask to see valid identification before allowing anyone claiming to be a PG&E representative inside their home. If a person claiming to be a PG&E employee has identification and you still feel uncomfortable, call PG&E’s customer service line at 1-800-743-5000 to verify PG&E's presence in the community.

Restoring gas and electric power

PG&E crews make power restoration a priority while keeping safety first.

How PG&E gets your power back on

Electric Restoration Process

Gas Restoration and Relight Process

As reminder, PG&E employees always carry their identification and are always willing to show it to you. Customers should always ask to see valid identification before allowing anyone claiming to be a PG&E representative inside their home. If a person claiming to be a PG&E employee has identification and you still feel uncomfortable, call PG&E's customer service line at 1-800-743-5000 to verify PG&E's presence in the community.

PG&E credit support for wildfire-impacted customers

At PG&E our first commitment is to our customers and communities that have been impacted by wildfires. As part of that commitment, we are offering credit relief for customers who lost their home or business in the recent 2018 wildfires. PG&E has suspended all customer disconnections and credit and collection activities in the areas affected by the fires.

Rebuilding your home or business

Our Building and Renovation Services department works directly with customers impacted by wildfires.

Building and renovation services

Each customer within the fire-damage zones designated by CAL FIRE who needs new or changed service from PG&E will be assigned a PG&E representative to help with new or modified gas or electric service.

New service installations, temporary construction power or other services can be initiated and tracked online through Customer Connections.

To support communities recovering from the wildfires, PG&E may offer customers assistance in cutting down and hauling away larger wood from their property. As recovery and restoration efforts continue, PG&E offers these tips for the long-term enjoyment of trees and plants.

Planting tips

Avoid planting under power lines or near utility infrastructure such as above-ground transformers

Call 811 at least 2 days before digging to plant trees, to have underground utilities marked.

PG&E has precautionary measures in place to help reduce the risk of wildfires. Our goal is to help customers prepare for and stay safe during extreme weather events, including sending notifications when and where possible when power may be turned off for safety.

For public safety, it may be necessary for us to temporarily turn off electricity in high fire-threat areas when extreme fire conditions occur. We will attempt to contact customers in advance to ensure there’s enough time to prepare.